Editor's note: I aim for high power (In the level of sorcerer without the silly tricks, or my shadowcaster revision). Still it might be overpowered so any input would be appreciated. I am particularly worried about the Redeemmer line of abilities. Lastly, while this class is clearly aimed for warblades and crusaders, DM's using other similar homebrew classes might lax the restrictions to include any 3rd level Martial adept, or even a martial character with the Martial Study / Stance feats. Similarly this PRC can learn maneuvers from schools that promote mobility, sword and board style and teamwork benefits.Also the Umbra Angela were created by me and can be substituted by any kind of angel you deem appropriate.

DARK ANGEL ASCENDANT

“Afraid little dragon? Show me the power of your so called dark magic”

A Dark Angel ascendant is a knight, trained by the Shadow Angels to hunt down and destroy evil in all its forms. Balancing grim determination with courteous behavior, they literally stand vigilant against the shadow of evil.For too long the Umbra angela were drawn into their research of the Plane of Shadow, unaware of and hidden from the cosmic turmoil around them. As Malchiah’s death and the rise and fall of Tenebrous taught them, they must influence the Prime Material plane to survive and to have a sense of purpose, so important for Outsiders. For this purpose the Stewards of Time decided to teach some of their secrets to select mortals. This decision was made for another reason; mortals possessed a spark of hope, even at the direst situations, something the Umbra angela badly needed.Drawing in their mastery of both combat and mystery and given truly angelic gifts, these knights strive to purge the darkness from deeply rooted evils and fear, all while disguised so that their patrons are never revealed to public. In addition they house weak angelic spirits, called Neophytes, who wish to learn about the Material Plane so they can better address their duties when they evolve in a greater form.In practice they achieve the impossible day after day. Protecting a hamlet from an undead horde, rallying its inhabitants as a fighting force and ending the struggle with a smile and hope for the future is one of the expected duties of an ascendant. Humility against said villagers and healing the wounds of conflict to the common man is another. Yet a third duty is being an energetic being with a variety of interests, for to let sadness and despair influence him, is like surrendering to it.

Requirements:To qualify to become a dark angel ascendant, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.Shadowcasting: Able to cast 2nd level mysteriesSkills: Diplomacy 3 ranks, Perception 3 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranksOther: Battle ardor (critical confirmation) or Zealous SurgeAlignment: Any Good

Class Features:All of the following are class features of the Dark Angel Ascendant prestige class.

Weapon Proficiencies:A dark angel ascendant gains proficiency with all armors and shields (excluding tower shields) and with all melee simple and martial weapons.

Angelic Devotion:The powers granted by this class are divine in nature and, much like a cleric, if you misuse them, they will be inaccessible until you atone for your misdeeds.More specifically if you ever cease to oppose those who would misuse Shadow Magic, control other people against their will, or, more generally harass Good people with the help of the cover of darkness and night, or work intentionally to uncover the identity of your patrons or directly or indirectly oppose them, you lose all benefits granted by this prestige class and cannot gain new levels in it.Depending on the severity of your actions an atonement spell and one month of acting towards the Umbra Angela cause may allow you to regain your class benefits back and resume taking levels normally.

Mysteries:At each level, except 1st and 6th, you gain new mysteries per day and an increase in caster level (and mysteries known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level your mystery-using class. You do not, however, gain any other benefits a character of these classes would have gained.If you had more than one mystery using class before becoming a dark angel ascendant, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining mysteries per day, caster level, and mysteries known.

Maneuvers:At each odd-numbered level, you gain a new maneuver known from the White Raven, Shadow Hand or Devoted Spirit disciplines.You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisite to learn it. You add your full dark angel ascendant levels to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest-level maneuvers known.At 3rd level, 6th level, and 9th level, you gain an additional maneuver readied per day.

Stances Known:At 5th level, you learn a new martial stance from the White Raven, Shadow Hand or Devoted Spirit disciplines. You must meet a stance's prerequisite to learn it.

Neophyte Guide (Su):A dark angel ascendant is possessed by a neophyte umbra angelus. This guide and its host are practically one creature (The neophyte doesn't count as a possessing creature for all intents and purposes), and it cannot be targeted as a separate creature.At 1st level it grants his host an untyped bonus to all Knowledge checks equal to the ascendant’s class level and he lets him use them untrained. This bonus is only applicable versus evil creatures, locations and objects. This bonus extends to all Craft and Profession checks as well as one Perform skill of the character's choice.He is also affected with a permanent disguise self and undetectable alignment effect on him.At 2nd level the character’s melee and melee touch attacks deal 1d8 bonus damage to evil targets per 2 class levels. This damage is half cold, half electricity, and it is not reduced by cold or electricity resistance. Immunities still apply however.In addition his melee and melee touch attacks function as if they possessed the ghost touch weapon quality.

Sin Eater (Su):A Dark Angel Ascendant learns to protect him from and eventually empower himself with the wickedness of his opponents.Envy: Any damage or ability damage dealt by a spell or spell like ability with the [Evil] descriptor or by a supernatural ability originating by a creature with an evil aura (such as evil outsiders or anti paladins) is reduced by an amount equal to the ascendant’s class level.Gluttony: The Dark Angel Ascendant gains immunity to curses, taint and vile damage. The target of his Dark Vengeance ability gains these immunities until the end of his next turn.He also enjoys a bonus to his saving throws versus spells and abilities originating from an evil creature equal to his charisma modifier.Greed: The Dark Angel Ascendant’s space always blocks line of sight and effect for any spell or ability originating from an evil creature.He can also choose to be, once per round as an immediate action, the target of such abilities, instead of an ally positioned no more than 30 feet away.Lust: The Dark Angel Ascendant is immune to fear, magical or otherwise, and to compulsion effects. The target of his Dark Vengeance ability gains these immunities until the end of his next turn.In addition he gains Damage Reduction 5/evil and silver, as well as Spell Resistance 5 + character level against spells and spell like abilities originating from sources with an evil alignment.Pride: A dark angel ascendant adds his intelligence modifier to his strength or dexterity modifier on his melee attack rolls.Whenever a a non-evil ally falls in battle (typically by bringing him to 0 or lower hit points or rendering him unable to take any action), the character gains a cumulative +1 bonus to attack rolls, caster level, DC of mysteries, damage rolls and skill checks.This bonus lasts until the end of the encounter and is doubled if the felled creature was of a good alignment. Summoned creatures do not benefit the character in this way, nor do creatures that rejuvenate after death (such as ghosts).In addition he becomes immune to any possession effect and he cannot be raised as or become any form of undead, nor can his soul be imprisoned in any way. The target of his Dark Vengeance ability gains these immunities until the end of his next turn.Sloth: Whenever a Dark Angel Ascendant uses an ability with the [Teleportation] descriptor and with an activation time equal to or greater than a standard action, he can make a full attack at a target within reach of his destination. This ability is usable at will but once per round.Wrath: The Dark Angel Ascendant adds his intelligence modifier to his constitution modifier to calculate his total hit points, his Damage Reduction improves to 10/evil and silver and his Spell Resistance improves to 11 + character level against spells and spell like abilities originating from sources with an evil alignment.His speed is increased by 10 feet and he gains concealment in any condition other than bright light. Only true seeing, blindsight or similar magic or sensory input pierces this concealment.

Armored Caster (Ex):Normally, armor of any type interferes with a mystery caster’s gestures for mysteries cast as arcane spells, which can cause them to fail. A dark angel ascendant’s specialized training, however, allows him to avoid arcane spell failure as long as he sticks to light armor and light shields.If he instead has the Still Mystery feat, he ignores any speed reduction caused by the armor, the armor’s maximum dexterity bonus increases by 2 and any armor check penalty is lessened by 2 (minimum 0) to any armor he applies this ability.At 5th level, a dark angel ascendant learns to use medium armor and heavy shields with no chance of arcane spell failure and at 8th level this benefit extends to heavy armor.

Dark Vengeance (Ex):Whenever an ally within a 30 feet radius suffers hit point or ability damage, the dark angel ascendant may redirect up to 5 damage or 1 ability damage as a free action, once per attack, to him.For every 5 damage or 1 ability damage he suffers from this ability in a round, he enjoys a stacking +1 bonus to his attack and damage rolls until the end of his next turn. The damage transferred cannot be reduced or prevented by any way.At 6th level he can transfer up to 10 damage or 2 ability damage per attack and at 9th level up to 15 damage or 3 ability damage.He also confers specific immunities to the target of this ability until the end of his next turn. These immunities also end any effect that they would apply to on the target.

Redeemer of Body (Su):Whenever a Dark Angel Ascendant successfully deals damage to a creature that is possessed by another creature (such as a possessing demon or under the effect of a magic jar spell), or a creature that is physically inhabited by another creature (such as a tsokar host riding a living creature), half of the damage dealt is redirected to the possessing or parasitic creature. This is an evocation effect and the damage type suffered by the possessing or parasitic creature becomes cold.In addition if he wins on an opposed caster level check (substituting Hit Die if the effect has no caster level), the possessing or parasitic creature must leave the host, appear in an adjacent square and not be able to possess the host again for 24 hours. If he loses, he can’t try again for the remainder of the encounter, however further damage on the creature continues to be redirected.For this ability to work, the possessing creature targeted must have a separate Hit Point value from its host (creatures with undetermined Hit Point values like a [url="http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188148"]Harrowed[/url]'s Monster within are unaffected).

Redeemer of Mind (Su):This ability works like redeemer of body but also affects creatures under the effect of an enchantment [charm or compulsion] spell or an effect that replicates those spells or influences the target in a similar way. Winning an opposed caster level check results in the creature being freed from mental control, but the position of the controller remains unchanged.

Redeemer of Soul (Su):This ability works like redeemer of body but also affects creatures created by or under the control by necromantic spells or effects, or command by the Rebuke Undead or similar ability. Winning an opposed caster level check results in the creature being freed from necromantic control, but the position of the controller remains unchanged.

NEW FEATRedeemer of ShadowFor those vain enough to think that more of them are better, you have the answer in a strike that affects all of their essences.

Prerequisites: Sin Eater (Wrath) class ability.Benefit: You can also target the clones, astral projections and similar effects, which precisely duplicate a creature, of a creature with your redeemer of body ability and such duplicates have only 50% chance to affect you with any of their abilities. The oldest creature (usually the creature that is born via natural means) is considered the possessor for the purposes of this ability. However there is no subsequent opposed caster level check after damage is dealt.In addition damage dealt by any Redeemer ability is considered holy rather than cold and you may choose to convert all damage done to the initial target of your attack into subdual damage .